Automorphs
by Darkhammer
Summary: This story is what would happen after ROTF when some humans found they had the ability to become robots.
1. Chapter 1

The Auto-morphs

Yes-sir this is my first attempt at writing one of these things, be gentle.

They freaked, literally; one instant they were shooting at a group of convoy trucks and the next a MGS Striker appeared and fired a 120mm smooth bore round at them. Little did they know that it was all an accident; they just ran, those that could still run of course. The turret on the striker swiveled about as if looking for something to shoot at; in all actuality the individual actually transformed into the striker and was having his own mental infraction trying to figure out what was going on. Ol' Taurus Dogg was just about to have his usual panic attack when he accidentally triggered a different system in the new form he had just managed to get into; the rest of the mechanics and the Air Force brass in the convoy were more than a little startled when the striker began the transformation into a bipedal robot. Normally this type of mutation occurs when the subject reaches puberty; but his parents' convinced him at a very young age that this was evil and should not be pursued, over time he forgot his Cybertronian heritage. Now there was no way of hiding it; oh the forces knew he was a mutant, the Don't ask, Don't tell policy applied to him.

"Sarge!" he yelled, "what's going on?"

"How the hell should I know?" The Sergeant yelled, "Keep Shooting!"

He knew how the weapons were supposed to work; but this was way different, he looked at an insurgent with an RPG and really wished he was back in the truck. A bright flash appeared on his left, and the fifty-cal machine gun there literally removed the weapon from the guys shoulder, through his head. He remembered thinking that brains actually were pink as the body flew back with recoil; he sneezed and the 120mm cannon went off again.

"My bad." He apologized.

The battle over he looked at the man who was now much smaller than himself; he looked at the door of the bullet riddled truck and scratched his skull plate.

"Um...now what?"

"You turn back into the Striker!"

"Oh...cool, um...how do I do that?"

"You don't know?"

"Duh...I wouldn't have asked if I knew!" Dogg growled.

They stood there for an uneasy moment before Dogg triggered the transformation; steel on steel, the clicking of metals, an eight wheeled APC with 120mm cannon settled on all four axles.

"You do know you're out of the Air Force now." the Sergeant growled.

"Yes sir, I have words to say to my parents." Dogg cranked his engine, "Um...let me guess, point."

"You do have the bigger gun."

It took all of two weeks to drum him out; even after he made it back to his human form. None of his bunk-mates wanted anything to do with him; for two weeks he went through his own private version of hell. He never got the chance to confront his parents'; their house burnt to the ground by an "unexplained explosion" and he had no one to pick him up at Tinker AFB. The board showed him leniency, uncommon to mutants, and gave him an honorable discharge by reason of the last living heir; he leaned against the light pole and fought back the tears, he was alone. He saw the new Dodge Challenger and looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching; he touched the car and shifted into his robot form, and then he added the challenger's body parts. He instantly grew to eighteen feet tall and jet black; he forced the transformation and drove the two-hundred miles to the small Texas town he grew up in. He stopped in front of a burnt out shell of a house just off of the highway; the house was a total wreck, but the barn and the workshop were still intact. He drove up to the workshop and was about to open the doors when a police cruiser pulled in behind him and blooped it's siren. The cop got out of his car and carefully approached the jet black car; he made sure he touched the rear of the car. Taurus opened the car door to show the officer there was no one inside.

"Dammit Jak-Jak you scared the crap out of me." She laughed.

"Jack Jackson can do this too?" Taurus asked.

"Dogg?"

"Yeah, it's me Shirley." He sighed.

"Wow an Auto-morph!" She laughed.

"So this is...common?"

"Around here, but don't tell anyone outside of town." Shirley said, "It's kind of a townie thing."

"Huh," he thought to himself, "I thought I was the only one."

"Pbbbt..." she laughed through her pressed lips, "Not by a long-shot." Shirley laughed.

"Who else can...do this and what the Samuel T. hell is an auto-morph?" Taurus asked.

"Can you...become a robot?" She asked.

He transformed into his robot mode and knelt to look at her.

"Dang girl, you sure got pretty." He grinned, "Wanna ride?"

"Maybe later, there are three big bunches of your kind here; Jak-Jak's bunch, Albert's bunch, and Hound's bunch, they do all the patrolling in this area." Shirley explained, "They are quite rowdy sometimes."

"What are they looking for?"

"Oh...deception cons or something like that." Shirley waved it off, "It's not like they'll find another one."

Taurus scratched his head and looked around; there was nothing here for him to fall back on.

"Does Phil still need help?"

"No, Jak-Jak is working there; when he isn't being molested by girls or driving on patrol." She smiled, "In fact I think he's there now."

"That's where I'm headed." Taurus said.

"I'll introduce you, Jack still thinks someone is out to get him."

"Lead on." He smiled.

A few minutes later they pulled into the shop and found Jack eating lunch with Patty, the Macy twins, and his twin sister Jamie; they locked on to the Challenger and Jack's eyes glowed a fierce hazel color.

"Easy Jack, do you remember Taurus Dogg?" Shirley asked.

Jack nodded.

"Still can't talk huh?" The Challenger said, "Come on boy, let's go for a spin!"

Jack waved his hands at his sister.

"He says, not until he's finished with lunch." Jamie's hazel eyes were glowing too. "Why don't you join us?"

"I will be naked."

"Wear one of Jack's coveralls." Jamie said.

"Jack, I am hungry...I think."

"He's new at this." Patty laughed.

"Jack, get Bulldog a pair of your coveralls." Jamie said, "There is no need to be rude."

Jack shot his twin a look, "I know you don't trust him; but there are four other autos than you here and five to one odds look bad in everyone's eyes." Jamie said.

"Yeah Jack, the guy just lost his parents; give him a break, and I don't mean his arm." Mandy said.

"Do hurry, the food is getting cold." Misty pouted.

Jack retrieved the oversized coverall from his locker and walked to the challenger; he whistled, it had all the amenities one would expect from Dodge, he nodded his approval. Taurus transformed and assumed his human form; he quickly hopped into the suit and walked across the gravel to join the meal. It was Texas barbecue, he ate too much.

"Ooh misery." Taurus groaned.

"But it is a good misery though." Jamie laughed, "Hound did the same thing."

"BURP, 'scuse me." Taurus groaned.

"Well howdy Taurus." Phil said loudly.

"Phil, good to see you bud." Taurus said.

"You home to stay?" Phil asked.

"Well yeah, it's not like I had much of a choice." Taurus groaned.

"Well It's good to have you home." Phil said, "It's been a while."

"Yeah, I just want to see how the town has changed."

"Jack, take him on the tour." Phil said.

Jack immediately transformed and spun out into the gravel; the jet-black Dodge Stealth had a good quarter mile on Taurus before the Challenger, but he soon caught up. Followed by a red Mustang and two Minis. They roared through town and stopped at a warehouse.

"The plant closed down?"

"They kind of had too Bull." Jamie said, getting out of the black Mini with white tiger stripes.

"What happened?" Taurus asked.

"Gearhead happened." One of the twins said.

"He blasted a Deception-con and tore off it's head." the other one said. "The chassis is still inside."

"Wow...so why are they after you?"

"Jack and I don't know; but we'll figure it out." Jamie growled.

Mark felt the aircraft jar on landing; the giant C-5 Galaxy was more comfortable than the Strategical Refueling aircraft they flew over on. Still, no one would have anything to do with him, even though he saved most of their lives a few days ago. The plane pulled in to a band playing and a bunch of cheers; those that had something to cheer about. Their unit lost most of the men when the sickness hit; it tore the Arab world apart, but not before they were attacked. Mark Smite had no one to greet him; he was all alone in the world not particularly because he wanted to be, it just worked out that way. His parents died in a mysterious fire that actually blew the house to kindling; they were attacked on the way to the aircraft. Several insurgents popped up behind a wall and began firing at them; they took out a M1A1 with an Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) and the people in the trucks piled out to take cover. Mark hit the back of the tank and waited for the morons to reload; the tank was cool to his touch, but hot to others, he was instantly transformed into a very large robot with a very big gun. Mark was frightened, and every weapon on his chassis fired in the direction of the insurgents; those that could still run, ran. Of course they were followed by several 50 caliper machine gun rounds. A couple of bullets bounced off the back of his armor; he spun and thankfully pulled the weapon up before tearing apart his own troops.

"Sarge!" Mark yelled, "What's going on?"

"How the hell should I know?" The Sargent asked. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I dunno!"

"Shit Smite, how are we going to get back to the airfield with that tank in the way?" The First Sargent asked.

"Wait, let me do something." Mark said, pushing the disabled tank to the side.

"Mark, you've fucked up." the sergeant said.

"I didn't know I could do this!" Mark yelled back at them; "If I did I forgot!"

everyone got up to get off of the plane; Mark just sat there and let them file out in front of him. He finally had the wherewith-all to change back into his human form; luckily someone had an extra set of pants to give him. He stepped off of the plane and walked straight to the hangar; no one greeted him, no one cared, and quite frankly, neither did he. The First Sergeant stopped him with a cold beer in her hand.

"I don't drink Mam." Mark sighed.

"Perfect time to start."

"When do you want me to report for duty?" he asked.

"What, uh...you're being released because you're the last Smite." she said, "I so don't want to see you here again."

"I will clean out my locker then." He growled.

"You can do that..." he walked off, "later?"

He walked straight to the lockers and knelt to get into his; he pulled out several items that he packed away for safe keeping. They were about to retrofit an F-5 dual engine small fighter into a T-38 trainer; they put it a little too close to the lockers.

"Hey Smite!" A woman yelled.

He stood straight up and banged the back of his head onto the wing; he cursed to himself about being so gullible and walked out of the hangar with his things.

"Where is Smite going?" An airman asked.

"Sarnie, weren't you there when he transformed into the tank? Damn girl he took point after that and drove us into the airbase." The Senior Airman said.

"So he saved our worthless lives; he needs to be thanked." Sarnie said.

"You thank him, I just want the freak to be as far from me as possible."

"Bitch." Sarnie spat.

She followed him outside to see his blank form standing there trying to figure out what to do next.

"Mark?"

He turned his head and looked at her with his hazel eyes glowing dimly; "You really should do what your friend says; stay away from the freak."

"She's a bitch." She said, "I see whom I like."

A pair of bulges pushed out of his back as he gained girth and height; a pair of short wings tore the T shirt he wore and his pants literally exploded off of him.

"Do me a small favor, please." The eighteen foot tall robot said, "Pack my junk and send it to me please."

"No problem Mark, I will start today."

"Something feels different, my form, it is different; how the fuck do I control this shit?" He snarled.

"I don't know but I heard of some rumors that there are giant robots in Texas." She said, "Maybe they can help."

"Gee, that's where I am going too."

"Hold on...I know...that's a...F-5!"

"You're hosing me?"

"You just banged your head on that fighter; maybe it's what you touch!"

"Maybe...ooh I can probably fly!"

"See you soon." She smiled.

He fiddled with the thought of cranking the twin engines on his back; a low groan was heard, and the engines fired like they were meant too. He looked to the sky and sighed, "I can fly." The afterburners kicked and he shot into the sky; he had an idea how his jet transformation would work so he tossed his bag and caught it in the cockpit the first try.

"Texas, huh, well...why not?" he thought to himself, "Home is where the bots are."

Hound and Big Momma were laughing; Big Momma was laughing in hysterical anger and Hound was just laughing at her frustration.

"Hound!"

"Hey I am not the one who tried to take a thirty mile per hour curve at ninety; I get to laugh at stupidity." He said.

"Get me out of this!" She screamed.

"Calm down first." Hound said, "I know what time of the month it is and I don't want to get the chrome kicked off of me."

"I am not going to kick your chrome." Big Momma swore.

"Oh alright." Hound smiled.

Hound was a huge transformation of a Chevy Avalanche; Big Momma was a Harley Fat Bob that was stripped down and tricked out as a monster chopper. Hound put his winch cable around her chassis and fought his way free of the Red River mud; he transformed and pulled big momma out sideways digging up mud in front of her fat wheels. This did nothing more than further enhance the bike-bot's already sour mood. As soon as Hound removed his tow cable she transformed and slapped the larger bot.

"The next time I'll let you sink to your fucking seat." Hound growled.

"Sorry baby, I am not in a good mood." She groaned, "I thought female bots didn't have periods."

"No, but your human form is being torn up by one; I told you to stay at the base and rest."

"But Jak-Jak's females don't..."

"Yes they do, that screwball will stay on patrol for a week if he could just to stay away from the twins." Hound laughed, "Now, let's get you cleaned up."

"Hound..." Big Momma said seductively, "What the fuck?"

Hound barely got turned around before the bike bot yanked him off his feet.

Smite flew in and saw a secluded road near the town but close to the river; he had been flying low-level since North Carolina and he was tired. He didn't notice the two bots near the river; one was covered in red clay and the other was red, perfect camouflage. He rolled in and extended his flaps and flared large enough not to realize the 'runway' was six hundred feet too short; landing gear down, speed at one-fifty, heavy flare, put the landing gear on the road just in front of the curb bouncing the small fighter into the air and waking him out of his droning state. He realized that he was going way too fast and tried to brake hard; he wasn't slowing fast enough, so he transformed and hoped for the best. His feet hit the asphalt and dug in; he rolled head over heels busting his windscreen and tearing off half of his split vertical stabilizer. He rolled past the two bots and looked at them as his back hit the opposite bank of the river.

"Ow." he said.

Big Momma lowered her energon cannon and blew a hole in the bank just above his crotch which was skyward since he was upside down; Mark scrambled to get to his feet and take cover. Another blast made him freeze; it appeared that both bots were armed. Mark raised his hands and turned to face the attackers.

"He's a Deception-con!" The female yelled.

"Woah Momma, look at his eyes!" The male yelled.

"They...they're the same as yours." She said.

"Yeah, what is your name bot?" Hound spat.

"Uh...Mark."

"Mark...?" The female growled.

"Last name breeder." Hound growled.

"Smite, Mark Smite."

"Slaphappy?" Hound asked.

"Yeah...I know your voice, sorry about your folks." Mark said.

"What about my folks?" Hound asked.

"They died last spring in a tornado." Mark said, "I sent you a card from Iraq."

"What did it say?"

"Dude, you'll pull through."

"You have no idea." Hound's arm transformed back into his hand.

"Dude, Tweedy Field is long enough for an F-5." Big Momma said.

"Sorry, I thought this would be a better choice; I was obviously wrong." Mark groaned. "I thought my kind of people were living in hiding."

Mark walked over to where the other bots were standing and got flattened by a sucker punch from the chopper.

"That's for making me lubricate myself." She growled.

"Hi Angie." Mark groaned.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Sorry, flying is easy, landing...not so much." Smite said.

He pulled his chassis off the ground and shook off a few parts in the process; he concentrated and formed a blank little robot form. A truck came into his mind, something he touched long ago; his father's Dodge Power Wagon, it always made him feel invincible, top of the world. He looked at Big Momma's approving nod; hound was grinning like a mule eating briars.

"Remind me to stay on her good side." Smite said.

"Aw, come on Smite, she likes you!" Hound laughed.

"Can you drive that form?" Big Momma growled.

He looked at the green chassis; he realized what he had just done and grinned to himself. He nodded at the other two 'bots.

"There is no reason to hang around here then; off to warehouse thirteen." Hound said.

"Yes-sir."

The three of them transformed and rolled into town; everyone's eyes turned to see the empty ghost truck rolling through. They pulled to an abandoned tortilla factory with a huge forty-ton mobile crane blocking the gate; it backed off and the gate opened, they rolled through and the gate closed as the monster crane followed them into the warehouse. One area looked as if world war III had happened right there in Geartown TX. They closed the warehouse door and transformed into robot mode.

"Who's the new 'bot Hound?" A familiar voice asked.

"This is Smite." Hound said.

The huge crane transformed into a heavy-set robot; it looked at Smite and tilted it's head, "Mark Smite?"

Smite turned to the robot and looked; he dropped his mouth open and boomed, "Johnny!".

The robot began to hop up and down like an exited child; it clapped his hands and laughed like a demented leprechaun.

"I thought that was you buddy!" Smite laughed.

"You're home!" The giant robot giggled.

"Tell him your robot name John." Hound prodded.

"I'm Gearhead!"

"Howdy Gearhead, I'm...oh I'll think of something." Smite laughed.

"Smite works." Big Momma said, assuming her human form and grabbing a pair of panties from a toolbox.

Smite, Gearhead, and Hound spun to look away from her.

"Come on guys, it isn't like you haven't seen a girl naked before." Angie huffed.

"Ladies need privacy." Smite said flatly.

Angie put on a sundress and turned as the doors opened; a Dodge Stealth, and a Challenger followed by a Mustang Cobra and two Mini Coopers drove in.

"Hey Jack!" Gearhead boomed.

The black Stealth's license plate said BLKJACK as it folded back into the vehicle; Jack stood there and eyed Smite who was eying the Challenger. It transformed along with the Minis' as Jamie got out of the Cobra and smiled as Nightmare assumed robot mode. Jack pointed at the new bot and signed "dog".

"This is Dogg." Jamie said, "Taurus Dogg."

"Bulldog!" Johnny began hopping like an idiot again.

"Calm down Gearhead." Nightmare laughed.

"This is Smite." Hound introduced.

"Mark?" Jack signed as Jamie said aloud.

"Yeah."

"Smite works." They did it again.

"You can tell their twins." Smite said.

"These are the Mercer twins." Nightmare said, "Tit and Tat."

"Jack, form a mech mode and look at Smite's flying form; he crashed on Jessica's curve." Hound ordered.

Jack nodded and formed Wheeljack; Smite mode-changed to his flying form, Jack winced.

"Yeah, too short." Smite said.

"Tweedy would have let you landed at the field." Jamie laughed, "Jack and I do it all the time."

"So does Mom." The fem-bot twin said together.

Every bot heard it, a plea for help; Jack got a bead on it and mode changed to a small florescent orange bot. Jamie assumed a florescent pink bot and chased him out of the warehouse; the voice sounded female, Jack was honor bound to go and check it out at least.

"What the fuck?" Dogg asked.

"We'll never catch them!" Hound transformed to the truck.

"We can try!" Smite transformed to the Power Wagon.

"A lady is in trouble!" the twins said loudly, "Charge!"

The Challenger tore after them with Angie inside; she whooped and screamed as Dogg drifted around a corner to keep up.

Jack lost his sister and tore up the road as fast as the turbo charged four cylinder motor could carry him; this was one of his favorite forms, the VW Bug was squat, exceptionally armored and fast. His twin liked her Honda Accord form better and stopped to mode-change; Jack had no problem being point, he lived for it. Rumble, his name in this form, was a very tough little 'bot and could scrap it out with almost anyone. He didn't have the range, or the shear power of an Avalanche; but he had the armor and the weapons to get the job done. A large robot was seen kicking the servos out of a smaller bike bot; Jack floored it, and closed the gap quickly. It seemed the robots didn't see him until he was danger close; Rumble's forte', he was formed to kick chassis up close. Jack could do something only his twin could do as well; he could dilate time for a few seconds, when he transformed and planted his feet to leap into the air, he cut that power in and closed the two-hundred feet in a second. The larger, meaner bot had a deception-con symbol on it; it was as good as dead, or so Rumble thought. As he torqued his body into the air the 'bot fired a weapon at him; he was hit, and his plasma weapon was damaged, so, still within the time dilate, he popped his blade from his left arm and a hook from the damaged right arm. He dug the hook into the armor of the bot's left arm at the elbow; time went to full speed as he whipped around with the heated blade out at arm's length, the robot's head neatly severed at the jaw-line and the momentum of Rumble swinging on his arm pulled the dead bot backwards, sans head, with Rumble still attached to his arm. Jamie screeched up and transformed; her 'speed bot' form snapped out her plasma cannon and realized, by the enemy bot's rolling head, the fight was already over.

"Dammit Rumble!" She yelled, "Wait for back up!"

"Optimus..." The fem-bot gasped.

"Rumble!" Jamie called, "It's her!"

He pulled his hook out of the corpse's arm and ran over to the downed bike; she looked at him and groaned, "Help me."

"Rumble the insignia, it is different from that...thing." Rampage said, "Could there be two types of 'bots?"

"There's only one way to find out." Rumble said through his speakers, "I have to...repair the bike...and ask." Three different voices said.

"No! Do not harm Arcee!" A little voice screeched.

The twins looked around and could not see anyone; Jamie tracked the voice to a little robot quivering behind a mesquite tree.

"Who are you?" Jamie demanded.

"No squish Wheelie, Wheelie be good!" It cowered.

Jack had already determined the little bot not to be a threat; he was busy plugging holes in the bike-bot's energon distribution system. He had the holes plugged when the rest of the crew got there plus one Chinook dual rotor helicopter; it landed and transformed into a large fem-bot who looked at the damage and shook her head.

"Who killed it?" She asked.

"Rumble, he didn't wait for me." Rampage said.

"Calm down, he didn't want you to get...Arcee!"

"Do you think they know each other?" Angie laughed.

"Arcee, it's me, Scout."

"Scout...Prime...hurry..." Arcee groaned.

"Prime is here?"

"Boss bot, Arcee is hurt!" Wheelie transmitted before Nightmare could jam him.

"Wheelie, what is your location?" A deep voice asked.

Scout shook, visibly shaken by the obviously recognized voice; she looked at her girls and swallowed hard.

"Nightmare, let him transmit." Scout ordered.

"No, he is obviously a deception-con." Nightmare growled.

"No, I changed sides, I am autobot!" Wheelie said.

"Let him transmit or I will tell your mother." Scout growled.

"Oh alright."

"Location incoming boss bot." Wheelie said.

"We will be there tomorrow; find a safe place and hide youngling." The voice said.

"That was the leader of the autobots, Optimus Prime." Scout said, "I was hoping the decepticon appearance was a fluke, I was wrong."

"Decepticon, I thought you said deception-con." Nightmare growled.

"The little you know will get you killed." Scout said, "I was hoping that Mission City was an urban legend...and Egypt too."

"Mom..." the fem-bot twins said together, "Data download, now."

"Wait...I'm busy." Rumble said through his speakers with two voices.

"We need to get out of the open; Rumble, is she stable?"

Rumble nodded, and picked up the fem-bot carefully.

"We're going to the warehouse; I will tell you all that I know after Rumble fixes Arcee." Scout said.

"Let's get moving." Rumble said.

Rumble worked on Arcee with Wheelie watching carefully with his one blue and one red eye; Rumble plugged in to Arcee's energon port and fed her system with his own energon. She woke and looked at him.

"Parts, boss I need parts." He said slowly.

"That's mine there, I need it." Arcee said.

"It's busted, how does it work?" Two voices asked.

"This ow..."

"Don't move." Clint Eastwood said, stopping just short of "dirt-bag".

"Like this." Wheelie said, showing him a hologram.

"Oh so that's how it woiks." Curly Joe said.

"Rumble, it's time to eat." Jamie said.

"Not now woman." A man said harshly.

"Now." Jamie said.

"Aww...mom." Rumble looked at her.

"You're eyes are barely lit Rumble; you'll stasis lock if you don't eat."

"That sounds unpleasant." Rumble smiled.

"Now!" Patty joined in.

"Alright, alright, let me finish." Two voices said.

He welded the part back together and placed it into Arcee; he undid the clamps holding her to the workbench and helped her down on her tires.

"Better?" A woman asked.

"Let me see." Arcee said.

She transformed into a red motorcycle with her kickstand down.

"Much, thank you." she said, "Where are my weapons?"

"I put them up." Jamie said, "I don't trust you yet."

"Respect is given Obi-Wan, trust earned." Yoda said.

"Okay Jack, It's time to eat." Jamie laughed.

"I will re-arm you tomorrow." Jack signed, Jamie translated, "Scout trusts you, and that's good enough for me."

"You are human too?"

"Only the meat parts." Jack smiled.

"Come on brother, you need to eat and sleep; recharge your energon I know you gave to...Arcee."

Jack nodded, it had been a long day; Gearhead had come in a few hours earlier and he wanted to see what part he pulled off to display on the wall. He looked, three decepticon symbols were welded to the steel divider that they used to hide the lights of the living area from outside. To his dismay, Johnny didn't find an emblem on the robot; but Jack knew it was there, he saw it when he looked into the robot's red eyes. Jack realized then the clunker had not found the robot's head; he would have to go out and locate and hide the head in the old gravel pit on his land. He snored softly in his hammock, a warm body curled up with him; he knew it was Patty, she was the only one with the gumption to climb ten feet off the floor for a nap, the only female that is. Rumble removed the plasma cannon from his arm; it was worthless in this condition, and it scraped the transforming blade in his right arm. He took off just before sunrise; he didn't want any fool high school kids to find the head and raise the alarm. Of course the older folks that saw him waved as he rolled by; he flashed his lights happily and kept on rolling. The older folks didn't seem to mind him being around; the younger generation, except for his gang, detested him rolling up and down their roads. He paid taxes on his biggest form and the sheriff only freaked when he was in Wheeljack and tearing up the gravel roads; so the younger generation could suck his exhaust fumes for all he gave an oil leak. He pulled into the field and located the battle area; it wasn't that hard, the bigger robot blasted several chunks of Texas clay to vapor trying to hit the smaller robots. He transformed and found the head of the decepticon in the ditch where Scout kicked it; he collected it and noted the odd noise that was overhead. C-17 military transports were oddly low and he tilted his head in wonder; that is until the troops began leaping out of the back of it. He tossed the head back into the ditch and transformed back to the '68 Super Beetle. It wasn't the troops that worried him; it was the huge reddish robot that landed a few meters in front of him. He wasn't the only bot to hit the dirt; a big blue, two yellows, and a red and a green bot, and a silvery bot landed nearby, one of two bike bots landed on him and he watched as it looked at him warily.

"Oh shit." He thought, "I'm in deep this time."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The troops and 'bots separated and began looking around the area; Rumble could not tell what they were looking for but he prayed it wasn't him. He thanked God when he heard them speak; but then, he remembered the bad part, he couldn't speak in any language. The biggest bot seemed to be in charge; he looked confident, in control, and certainly dangerous.

"Autobots, you know our mission, search out the decepticon homing beacon." He ordered, "Silence it."

A large yellow bot went to the battle scene and searched the area; he looked at it and scratched his faceplate, obviously a move copied from a human.

"Optimus, come look at this; there are several robot impressions in the soil. They surround this area as if one of their comrades fell here." He said.

The largest robot went to look, followed by several humans; they scanned the area and deduced that there was some sort of robot medical work performed there. The yellow bot looked at Optimus and said.

"This energon belongs to Arcee."

"Are you sure Ratchet?" Optimus said.

"Sir, there is a broadband signal being broadcast from this location; it has broadcast everything you've said." A female Sargent said.

"Ironhide, locate the signal!" Optimus ordered.

"It shut off!" Both Ironhide and the Sargent said.

"Hey boss, could this have sent the signal?" a burgundy robot asked, holding up the decepticon head.

"Good work Mudflap." Ratchet said, "I am detecting the decepticon signal from that."

"Toss it up Mudflap!" Ironhide ordered.

"Belay that order, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves." Optimus said, "I sense an unfamiliar spark."

"I do too, but the only thing that could be a decepticon is that dilapidated tractor." Ratchet said.

"What about that car?" A silver robot asked.

"That thing is too small to be a threat." The green robot said.

"No, Skids get away from it!" Optimus reached for his weapon.

"Oh shit." Rumble thought and cranked his engine. He was instantly surrounded by troops before he could get into gear. He shut his engine down and slowly began his transformation; he was just a little smaller than the two bots that surrounded him and just taller than the bike bots. He transformed his shield too and held it in between the big bot and his chassis; Optimus actually took a step back from the shield and looked at Ironhide for confirmation.

"Alltrax." Ironhide growled.

"No Ironhide, Alltrax was much more aggressive; this is a different robot, possibly his pseudo-form." Ratchet said.

"What the devil?" Came from the burnt orange robot.

"He is damaged."

"It looks like...no, Slipstream's plasma cannon." The other yellow robot said.

The robots looked at each other for a second and then back at the burnt orange bot; Optimus approached, and the burnt orange robot hid behind the fanged skull shield and activated his armored faceplate cover, a blade extended out of his right arm and began to heat up.

"Easy little one, we only hurt decepticons here." Optimus said.

"What a coincidence." A different voice said from the bot.

"His vocal processor might be damaged."

"Bumblebee, you aren't too large; move around so he can't escape." Ironhide said.

"Stay put, if he runs it will most likely be home; if he is part of a group, maybe they can speak." Optimus said.

"Calling all cars, calling all cars..." The robot said.

"What is your name little one?" Optimus asked.

"Rumble!" The smaller robot jumped, "What is your current location?"

"Don't be an idiot, my brother is a mute; he most likely went out in search of that decepticon he killed the other day."

"You killed the decepticon?" The green robot asked.

"You too small to do much damage." the red one said.

The blade cooled and retracted back into the smaller robot's arm; the shield, however, stayed put on his left arm.

"Look at 'im boss, he's a lil' gear!" The red bot laughed.

"Scout do you see him?" A fem bot asked.

"Yeah..."

"What is it?"

"Autobots."

"Scout...the Scout, the sniper?" The larger yellow robot looked around.

"If she is here and can see us...we're scrap." Ironhide said.

"Maybe that is why he hasn't put his shield away yet."

"Yeah lil' bot, stow your punk ass..."

Rumble came off the ground and smashed the red bot in the face; he leaped from the first twin and back-flipped through the air and slammed the other one in the faceplate, both twin bots went down like a sack of used parts. Rumble settled and placed the shield back on his back; his point made, he was not to be mocked.

"Rumble just kicked the gears out of a set of twins." Scout said, "Powerglide, give them a buzz."

An A-10 just barely missed Prime's head and turned to the South; robots went in every direction, taking cover, Rumble chuckled silently. He walked to Optimus Prime and extended his hand; Prime took it and Rumble heaved the heavy bot to his feet.

"Ratchet, scan...Rumble, tell me why he is so strong." Optimus ordered.

"I already have, he is covered in duridium armor; and all of his servos are double, along with his chassis bracing." Ratchet said, "He is specifically built for hand to hand combat."

"A brawler, I have never seen one of those." Ironhide said, "Your father was an exceptional warrior."

The dull sound of an energon cannon got everyone's undivided attention; Rumble shook his cannon and stowed it back into his arm. He was conflicted about something and he couldn't tell anyone what it was.

"Incoming!" A Master Sargent said.

A new VW bug skidded up and transformed into a fem bot; Rumble put up his hands and moved them up and down, telling the robot everything was okay. The weapon on the robot's left arm was the identical weapon on the one near Prime; except this one was fully operational, and charged for a shot.

"Rumble, is everything alright?" The jet black robot asked.

Rumble nodded and moved his hands; the robot glared at Ironhide.

"So you're the gear-head that betrayed our father." The female robot said.

"That was a long time ago." Ironhide said.

"Long or not Ironhide, you owe Alltrax and Slipstream an apology." Optimus Prime said.

"As soon as my optical receptors recognize their forms Prime." Ironhide said.

"That will be difficult." The black robot said, "They are dead, but we can lead you to where their bodies lie."

"That will be sufficient." Prime said.

"What is your designation?" Corona asked.

"Grumble, but my buds' call me Jamie." She said, "Don't ask us to demonstrate why."

"Alright." Optimus said, "Are you the offspring of the two?"

"Yes." Jamie said, "Rumble will take you to see them."

"Ironhide, go with Rumble; we need to locate Arcee." Optimus said.

"Arcee is with us, Rumble put her back together and she is resting." Jamie said softly, "If you have a doc-bot you might want to have her looked at; Rumble had to use some parts he scavenged off a decepticon." Jamie said, "He didn't want to do it; but I insisted, he has taken too much damage in the last battle to be using his own parts for repairs."

"Come on, are you telling me that he uses his own parts to repair damaged robots?" Ratchet asked.

"Yes I am, I have two servo-motors that are his." Jamie said softly, "Or I would not be able to walk."

"Sometimes a man has to do, what a man has to do." A recording of the Duke said.

The robots turned to the smaller orange bot; Optimus nodded, to everyone that knew Optimus Prime the little bot had gained the larger one's respect.

Rumble didn't say or sign what Ironhide said at the graves; anyone that knew him could tell that he was touched by the blue bot. They rolled in almost an hour later and the orange bot skated, literally, right up to Arcee; Ratchet had her on the table Jack had built for robot repairs. The autobots stared in awe as Rumble mode-changed into Wheeljack and stepped up to the table.

"Ratchet, that bot got bigger!" Skids gasped.

"Yes, Auto-morph can change their forms." Ratchet said.

"He looks like a tow truck."

"Wheeljack, let Ratchet do his job."

"But I wanna see!" A little girl voice came out of Jack's P.A..

"Do you have any better light?" Ratchet asked.

"Let me get that for you." A random voice said.

Wheeljack turned on his light bar; the high intensity beam was exactly what Ratchet needed.

"You've done good work...Wheeljack; but we do not use parts from other robots. I know we must be just giant automatons to you, but we do have feelings." Ratchet explained.

"But I had no choice." Another random voice, "None of my parts would fit."

Ratchet looked at him and nodded.

"Translation, he wouldn't be able to transform back into his human form." Jamie said, walking up.

"A fella has to eat." Another random voice.

"Where is the plasma weapon, I'll take a look at it?" Ratchet asked.

"Rumble and Grumble have the plasma weapons; Wheeljack has a thirty millimeter, six barreled messenger of high explosive magnitude cannon." Jamie laughed.

"Guaranteed big ouch." Johnny laughed. "Cop car never knew what hit 'em."

Jack opened a large dumpster and they saw the devastated remains of Barricade; Hound walked up and pushed the dumpster closed.

"No one wants to see that Jack." Hound said.

"Indeed." Ratchet sighed.

"Plant it." Jack said.

"Johnny needs to recharge and you haven't eaten in days." Hound said, "Why don't you grab some rack time?"

"Right." Clint Eastwood said sarcastically.

"Pat, take Jack to your parents' house and let him sleep for a few hours." Hound ordered.

"No."

"Okay..." Hound sighed.

"Just because you are older does not put you in charge." Patty said.

Jack transformed into the large tow truck and rolled to a quiet part of the plant; there he plugged in to a 440 volt output and powered down. Patty and Jamie checked on him after a while and drove him back to the rest of the group.

"Jack we need you conscious." Scout said.

"Why you..." Moe said.

"Come on, let's see those hazel eyes of yours." She waved upwards at him.

Jack transformed into his robot mode and Jamie shook a pair of coveralls at him; he shifted to human form and pulled on the oversized suit.

"From what we can tell the decepticons are after you and your ability to make energon." Prime said, "I have talked to your country's leaders and they agree that we must protect you at all costs."

"Jack wants to know why we can't just protect ourselves like we've been doing." Patty read.

"Jack, if the decepticons get one of you they could raise an army of robots and take over your planet." Ratchet said, "The only thing stopping them is energon; if they ever learn of your natural ability to make energon they will stop at nothing to get it."

"Even dead your bodies can be studied and cloned to make energon factories; we have to take you to our base." The Major said, "We can keep you safe there."

"This base doesn't sound like much fun." Angie groaned.

"And there is school to consider; Jack has graduated already, but my girls have another year." Scout said, "Will high school at least be provided to them?"

"I will see to it."

"What about our non-transforming friends? Our families, are they in jeopardy?" Patty asked.

"No, as long as you come with us." He said, "There is no reason for the enemy to come here if you are not here."

"Will we still be able to transform and drive or fly?" Jamie asked, "I'm not into it but Jack loves it."

"We will discuss that when we get there." The major said.

"No." Jamie turned to Jack and said.

"Then I am not going." Jack retorted.

"You heard what he said about what would happen if they caught you." Jamie said, "They will kill anyone they think has information on you, even Patty's mom."

"Do you two have a problem?" The major asked.

"I don't."

Jack dropped his coveralls on the floor and switched to Rumble.

"He...oh boy." Jamie shook.. "He won't go unless he can transform."

"I don't think he has much of a choice; he isn't that fast in that form."

"Jack...please..."

Jack mode changed to Starjack and stood there glaring.

"Now he can outrun you." Angie said, "If you haven't guessed, that's an F-35."

"Wow, that thing can take off vertically." Powerglide said, "Good choice."

"Jack, the enemy will destroy everything." Patty said, "I am going."

"I do not believe in no win scenarios." Captain Kirk said.

"We will discuss your robot time." The major said.

"See that you do." A deep voice warned.

"So we have to get you to Diego Garcia before we can make a deal."

"Nah that sounds fishy to me." Johnny said.

"Gearhead is right." Ratchet said, "The boy is an excellent field medic; let me train him in his robot forms."

"Jack, you need to eat." Patty said.

"Yeah, you'll go into lock up again." Marcy said.

"Alright, you are in charge of medical training Ratchet; make sure everyone knows basic medical procedure. And train Jack as a backup medic." Optimus said.

"Thank you sir!" The sound came from Starjack.

He slipped back into human form and almost fell out from lack of sleep; he pulled on his clothes and began eating the pizza Hound had bought for the troops. He ate two whole pies by himself.

"There is always Gainsville Municipal Airport."

"Too short." The Master Sargent said.

"Tweedy Field, it was used as an emergency runway for B52 bombers during the cold war." Hound said.

"How do you know that?" the Master Sargent asked.

"Hound is Tweedy's cousin." Angie said.

"Oh...but it is still too short." The major said.

They drove to the abandoned military base and waited for the planes to come in; the flight itself was long and arduous, especially for the three sets of twins on the plane. The place was a blotch of land in the middle of nowhere; they got the tour and wondered what they got into. Jack and Ratchet disappeared for a week before anyone saw ether of them; Jack had a voice modulator and actually talked to people in a robotic voice.

"Hey, where have you been?" The Master Sargent asked.

"Working on something." Jack said.

"You can talk."

"Yeah, it's amazing what tech you can learn from someone that actually is technology." Jack smiled.

"You're feeling your oats too."

"Let me kick his ass Jack."

"Easy Talker" Jack said.

"You built a robot?"

"I had help, but yes; we built Talker so I could communicate in all forms." Jack said, "It is much easier to speak with him around."

"Good work."

"Thanks, I will tell Ratchet that you approve." Jack smiled.


End file.
